PERSONAL PORTABLE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE

VEHICULE DE TRANSPORT INDIVIDUEL PORTABLE

English Abstract

The disclosure is of a vehicle which may be
powered and ridden by a person sitting on said
vehicle, in such a manner that the rider may
transport himself of herself from place to place, or
perform maneuvers and stunts while operating
said vehicle. The advantages of the invention
resides in it's very compact design and it's ability
to collapse into an even more compact size for the
purpose of shipping or storage. A further
advantage is the ability to alter the gear ratio of the
drive train by the toes of the operator, while the
vehicle is in motion, and the ability of the seat
height adjustment mechanism to also serve as a
security locking method.

Claims

What is claimed is:
1. A set of dual steering control cables
utilizing a cross over design and a mechanical
advantage.
2. A security locking cable and pin which
also serve to facilitate seat height adjustments.
3. A flexible shifter arm.
4. A shifter arm travel limit assembly
with locking positions.
5. A pair of free wheeling chain guides.

Description

2171350
' - a flexible shifter arm with deralleur
PERSONAL PORTABLE wheel.
two freewheeling chain guides.
TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE
a shifter arm travel limit assembly.
a series of adjustment holes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION an optional padlock.
1. Field of the invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention relates to human powered
vehicles, used for llal~ Jullalion or le~l~dlion.
FIGURE 1 is a side vlew of the mvention
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of
2. Brief Des.; i~,lion of the Prior Art shifter assembly
Other human powered vehicles have been FIGURE 3 is an enlarged right elevation
invented and built. IIvwt;vti-, in typical vehicles of of shifter arm travel limit assembly
this kind, the vehicle through the necessity of the FIGURE 4 is an enlarged plan view of
design, must be built in a larger scale, relative to
this in~e..lion. The typical steering me..l,~ ... thederalleurwheelandfreewheelingchainguides
used in these other vehicles is l~lalively
cumbersome and heavy compared to that used in DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THEthis invention. A typical method of altering the EMBODIMENTS OF l-~ INVENTIONgear ratio of the drive train in these other vehicles
involves the use of a relatively Y~mplin~od
deralleur wheel and cable system. The invention WLu~ es a rigid frame 1,
commnnly of steel tubing, designed to have
attached to it a rear wheel 2, and a set of dual front
The vehlcle of my mventlon IS adapted to
permit the construction of an extremely wmpact wheels 3, and drive sprocket with set of pedals 4.
vehicle, which can be wllapsed even further for Seat and shaft 5, are free to slide up and down in
storage or shipping, with a gear changing method frame 1. Locking pin 6 permits seat height to be
which allows simple gear changing while the adjusted to various heights using holes 14.
vehicle is in motion. Locking pin 6 can also be used'to act as a security
restraint device when used with security cable 7,
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and optional padlock 15. Steering handle 8 rotates
around bolt 22, and is attached to steering control
The invention colllp-ises a rideable cables 9 in a cross pattern to facilitate pulling on
vehicle composed of: axle 21, utilizing a mechanical advantage possible
bv wider s~acin~ at the axle 21 than at steerin~
a ngld frame c~ po~;d of metal or other
suitable material. handle 8. Cable guide restraints 10 allow inner
cables to move freely while holding outer cable
a rear wheel wlth two or more drlve
casing in place. Flexible shifter arm 11 holds
~,. u~ ,t~.
deralleur wheel 19 and free wheeling chain guides
a palr of front wheels on an axle whlch
12. Flexible shifter arm 11 is under tension
can plVOt and rotate.
between either of it's ends, caused by pressing
a drive sprocket with pedals and drive
agamst dnve chaln 23 and shlfter arm travel limit
cham. assembly 13. Flexible shifter arm 11 is free to
a seat on a length of tubing with rotate in both the vertical plane and the ho. i~o-llal
adj u~ holes. plane by movement around bolt 17 in oversize hole
a pin which can be used to hold the seat through flexible shifter armll. Toe bars 16 at end
at various heights, and provide a means of locking of flexible shifter arm 11 permit rider to push
vehicle for security purposes. flexible shifter arm in either a right or left direction
a cable which retains said pin and in by the use of the rider's ,c;~ iv~ toes. Rear
coop.,.alion with said pin provides a means of sprocket 18 can be utilized by pushing the flexible
locking vehicle for security purposes. shifter arm to the left with the rider's right toes.
a steering handle. Deralleur wheel 19 m~in~inc drive chain tension
a pair of steering cables with outer and ~lignml~n~ of the drive chain on either rear
guides. sprocket. Rubber washer 20 permits axle to pivot
a pair of cable guide restraints. on bolt 24 attached to frame 1. Shifter travel arm
limit assembly 13 holds flexible shifter arm in

~ 2171350
either position A or position B, such positions
c~nl~s~ollding with the desired position of drive
chain 23 on either rear sprocket.
OPERATION OF THE PORTABLE
TRANSPORTATION VE~CLE
Rider sits on seat 5 and positions hands
on steering handle 8, and positions feet on pedals
on drive sprocket with set of pedals 4. By rotating
drive sprocket with set of pedals 4 in a forward
motion, power is tr~ mit1~d through drive chain
23 to rear sprocket 18. Vehicle is balanced in an
upright position by the bz~l~ncing ability of the
rider. Rider can steer the vehicle both by leaning
in the desired direction and by moving the steering
handle 8. Rider can change the gear ratio of the
drive train, 4, 23, and 18, by pushing on either toe
bar 16 with the rider's respective toes. The free
wheeling chain guides 12 are free to rotate as drive
chain 23 touches them, reducing friction and wear
on the drive chain 23. Axle 21 can pivot and rotate
around bolt 24, compressing rubber washer 20 as
ncce~a,g. This action permits vehicle to lean into
a turn as axle 21 rotates around bolt 24.
Those skilled in the art will realize that
valialiolls to the invention can be made without
departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
For example a rigid shifter arm could be used
instead of a flexible shifter arm, with deralleur
wheel tension being maintained on the drive chain
by way of a spring, and more than two ~,u.,~t~
could be utilized at the rear wheel. Also, an
alternate means of adjusting the seat to
accommodate riders of different heights could be
used.

Representative Drawing